Paper 3 Chemistry tips

Introduction
The chemistry paper 3 paper is divided into 2 different parts:
o Quantitative analysis:
 which consists of 5 different types of experiments,
 and it is usually the first 2 questions of your paper (provided
the paper has 3 total questions, if it has 2 total questions, then
it will be the first question only).
 This is longer as it requires drawing tables and repeating the
experiment several times, but it can be fabricated
o Qualitative analysis:
 ion tests.
 This is always the last question in the paper and it carries less
marks as compared to quantitative (as low as 12 and as high
as 17).
 This is shorter but every experiment must be done and cannot
be fabricated at all.
Quantitative analysis

o General:
 Start off by reading the question and understanding what is
wanted of you.
 Underline any place where you are asked to “measure and
record” because they are the basis of your table.
 When you understand, start off the experiment, moving
through the instructions LINE by LINE and ticking the lines you
completed (this is generally only important for the first 2
titrations, and then you get the hang of it).
 As an added tip, it’s good to fill the burette to 0.00 cm3 as it
makes it easier to figure out the titre.
o Titrations:
 You will be asked to carry out a rough titre. So, open the knob
and continuously swirl the flask, until you feel like you have
reached the endpoint. Titration ends when any colour change
is permanent.
 If you think you have reached the end-point but you are not
sure, note down the value you have on your burette, and then
continue a bit further to see if the colour is more within the
shade of the endpoint or acid/base (after you continue you
should be able to distinguish clearly between the two).
 The rough titre is the one you should be the most careful with,
because for the remaining titrations all you’ll be doing is letting
 the knob open until the last cm3 where you will tighten it so
that the solution in the burette flows out dropwise.
 If you think you have went a bit too far there is something
called Back Titration. Note down the value you have (A) and
then grab a dropper pipette and fill it with the same chemical
as that in the conical flask (not the burette). Each drop is about
0.05cm3. Add just 1 drop and then shake well and wait long
enough for the colour to fully settle. Repeat until you see the
endpoint colour. Your reading V should be V=A-0.05n, where
n is the number of times you added a drop from the dropper.
 Repeat the experiment 1 (or MAXIMUM 2) more times to
make sure, and then fabricate the rest. You should continue to
“perform” titrations until you have 2 titres which are +- 0.1 cm3.
It is advisable to make the 2nd and 3rd titres the same,
because getting similar titres within 2 attempts shows that
something fishy is going on.
 Time is scarce so if you realise that you’re running out of time
and that you still have quite a bit left to do, don’t even attempt
to perform the titration, because all you’ll lose is 2-3 accuracy
marks for the whole question.
o Table Format:

As mentioned before, try to do 3, and make the 2nd and 3rd similar.
Do not include rough in your table.
Burette readings are ALWAYS to 2 DECIMAL PLACES (d.p) [even
if it was 0.00 cm3]

o Calculations:
 You will be asked: “From your accurate titration results, obtain
a suitable value for the volume of FA4 to be used in your
 calculations. Show clearly how you obtained this value”. Here
all you do is simply take the average of your 2 best titres:

This value should also be to 2 d.p.

 Give your answers to any calculations to 3s.f. (unless

otherwise indicated)
 NEVER forget mol ratios (for mol AND for balancing).
 Its very important to keep the following formulas in mind:

 %Error in:

 Other formulas:
o Errors and improvements:

 Parallax error when reading volume of burette

 Figuring out the exact end point when using indicator in acid
base titrations, difficult to judge exact end point due to
sudden colour changes
 When (solution in conical flask) has a higher concentration,
more volume is needed from (the solution in the burette).
 To reduce the uncertainty in a burette reading the titre
volume needs to be made larger. This could be done by:
increasing the volume and concentration of the substance in
the conical flask or by decreasing the concentration of the
substance in the burette.
o General:
 In this experiment you are asked to see the rate of change of
something (e.g. how fast a cross disappears).
 This is done by changing either: the temperature or the
concentration.
 VERY IMPORTANT: Time is always recorded to the nearest
second (no dp).
 Just like titration, it’s important to skim the task required as
well as underlining any “measure and record” to make the
columns for your table.


o Changing the concentration:
 In this question, you are asked to vary the concentration of
FA1 (for example) by varying it’s volume and the volume of
distilled water added.
 This difference in concentration affects how fast something
changes, like a cross disappearing.
 So you are also asked to time how fast this is and then find the
rate by doing:

A question may arise on this calculation:

Explain why 1/10/100/1000…/ time is a measure of the rate of
reaction?
Answer:

o Changing the Temperature:

  This very similar to the previous experiment, except that you
vary the temperature of the reacting solution and not the
concentration of one of the reagents.
 Temperature ALWAYS to 1 d.p. and either .0 or .5
o Table Formats:
Varying concentration

 As mentioned before, burette always to 2 d.p.

 Measuring cylinders to 1 d.p.
 Time to the nearest second with NO d.p.
 Rate to 3 s.f. like other calculated values.
 Take 5-6 readings for plotting
 Total volume in each experiment is kept constant because
Volume (of FA 1) becomes a measure of concentration,
Varying Temperature
Expt Temperature/ Time/ s Rate/ s-1
°C
1
2
3
4
5
6
o Graphs:

o Calculations:

o Extra notes:
 How is the rate related to the concentration of FA1
solution?

o General:
 In this experiment you are asked to calculate the enthalpy
change of a reaction by altering different factors that affect the
temperature change (like volume of a solution used).
 This is done by either displacement or neutralization reactions
 VERY IMPORTANT: Time is always recorded to the nearest
second (no dp). AND Temperature to 1 d.p. (only .0 or .5)
 Just like titration, it’s important to skim the task required as
well as underlining any “measure and record” to make the
columns for your table.
o Displacement:
 These reactions a more reactive element displacing a less
reactive one.
 Example: Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) → ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Zn more reactive than Cu and displaces it.
 In this experiment you will measure the heat given out by the
reaction of excess zinc with copper(II) sulfate solution and use
this to estimate the concentration of the copper(II) sulfate.
 These reactions are exothermic, and you will be asked to
measure the temperature over a period of time:
 Initially CuSO4 for around 2 and half minutes alone (and
this temperature usually remains constant).
 Then after adding the powdered metal (zinc) in this case
for around a further 5 minutes
 You will need to constantly stir and record the temperature
every 30 seconds, until a specified time.
 Then draw a graph using x’s to plot the points, and drawing to
lines of best fit, to work out the temperature change of this
reaction. The temperature change is the difference between
the highest temperature and the lowest at a specific time.
 Then use this value in calculations (like other experiments).
o Neutralisation:
 In this experiment you determine the maximum temperature
change for the addition of different volumes of a solution (or
different types of solids).
 For example: HA(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaA(aq) + H2O(l)
You are to determine the enthalpy change for the
neutralisation reaction given above.
 You will add different volumes of a solution (HA in this case)
and a constant volume of the other solution (NaOH in this
case) and measure the maximum temperature rise for each
volume.
 As you increase the volume you will notice that the maximum
temperature change increases, up to a certain limit of
volumes, after which the maximum temperature rise starts to
decrease.
 Plot these maximum temp rise (y-axis) and volume added (x-
axis), and draw 2 lines of best fit: one for the increasing
temperature rise, and one for the decreasing ones.
Extrapolate them and the point where they intersect is the
volume that gives the maximum temperature rise.
 Use your results in calculations (like other experiments).
 o Table Formats:
Displacement:

Neutralisation

OR
Mass of Mass of Mas Initial Final Temperatur
FAx and residue s of Temperature/° Temperature/° e
Container/ and FAx C C change/°C
g Container/ used
g /g

o Graphs:
 Displacement

Neutralisation

o Calculations:
  For energy produced/released:

 Enthalpy change:

 For Hess’s law cycles: try to use the cycles you use in p2, if
they don’t work, try to find a similarity between any 2
equations given and try to form a cycle using that.

o Errors and improvements:

 Error in a single thermometer reading (initial OR final):
 Error in 2 thermometer readings (temperature change):

 To improve accuracy of results:

 Cover plastic/polystyrene cup with a lid to reduce heat
loss to the surroundings (apparatus)
 Use a thermometer calibrated to greater level of
precision for more accurate temperature changes.
(method)
 ONLY if solid was limiting, use a larger mass to reduce
percentage error in mass, (method)
 ONLY IF liquid was limiting, use a pipette or burette to
measure volume to reduce percentage error in volume.
(method).
 Use a more concentrated solution to get a higher
temperature change. (method).